The last thing New York Mets fans want to hear is injury news surrounding another young pitcher. When Matt Harvey suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament last August, it was a dark day for Mets fans. The alarm bells have already begun to sound in Mets’ fans minds after the latest injury news, surrounding top minor league prospect Noah Syndergaard. Syndergaard was placed on the minor league disabled list with a flexor pronator strain in his right elbow, ESPN New York’s Adam Rubin reports.

Syndergaard, 21, is 5-2 with a 4.02 ERA in 10 starts for the Triple-A Las Vegas 51’s this season. Syndergaard will fly into New York so his elbow can be examined by team doctors. Syndergaard’s specific injury is troubling because it is seen as a precursor to Tommy John surgery. Notable pitchers to have flexor strains in their elbows prior to undergoing Tommy John surgery include Washington Nationals’ ace Stephen Strasburg and San Diego Padres’ pitcher Josh Johnson.

The Mets are downplaying the significance of Syndergaard’s injury, indicating that the strain is extremely mild and the elbow exam is a simple precaution. While Syndergaard’s injury can often lead to Tommy John surgery, a lot of pitchers have had this injury without undergoing the procedure. If the Mets are correct, Syndergaard can simply go on a program of rest and rehabilitation until he is ready to resume his season. The Mets had better hope they are correct, because losing another young arm to Tommy John surgery could be crippling to Sandy Alderson’s plan to develop this team into a contender via its young starting pitching.

Ultimate Sports Talk was founded by Greg Mitchell, a former college athlete and college football coach. He founded Ultimate Sports Talk in April 2011. In 2012, he founded the Ultimate Sports Talk Radio Network.